has anyone attached a roof rack for skis or aero box (stupid question, right)

What attachments used, any advice, do teh Sub dealers have good racks?

Nic

 

Oh no!!

Will the next question be about towing caravans?

Floor mats anyone?



[This message has been edited by abetts (edited 16-02-99).]

 

I bought the Thule kit from Halfords for my 96 saloon. Probably not the cheapest but convienient.

Bars £20
Feet £50 ish
Adapters £20

There was a delay of about 3 weeks ordering the adapters as they don't keep them in stock.

 

Having recently started snowboarding, I have been looking into getting a roofrack and attachments for my car (MY96 Turbo Saloon). Shopping around, it would appear that Thule are by far the best, but prices vary quite a lot.
They do a basic bars and fitting kit for the Impreza saloon, with attachments for bikes, boxes, ski/snowboard, watersports, and load carriers, as well as other attachments.
(see their web-site at, http://www.thule.com)

So far, the cheapest place I have come across for Thule stuff is 'The Roofrack Shop' in Edinburgh, (0131) 556 8229.
They have quoted me:
£83 for the bars and fitting kit,
£50 for a 4 snowboard/6 ski attachment, which is lockable.
They do free postage mail order in Scotland, but probably cheap to elsewhere.
These are bound to be better and cheaper than Subaru's own gear.

Hope this information comes in handy for some of you?!

JHall

 

Is there still enough room to fit a bike rack if I am pulling a caravan?

Mike.

 

I'm thinking about buying a caravan......

Abetts.

Some of us Scooby owners love snowboarding you know (well, I do anyway!) and I'm hoping to drive over to Andorra in mine soon. Therefore, I'm going to need a roof-rack too, and therefore it's not as daft a question as it sounds.

I agree with the caravan comment though!!

Stef.

[This message has been edited by Stephan (edited 17-02-99).]

[This message has been edited by Stephan (edited 17-02-99).]

 

You probably also want the Thuloe locking kit which is a further £16 (Halfords). This locks the rack to the car and you can then lock boxes, bikes etc. to the rack.

 

I have personal experience of the strength of Thule racks, having used them to transport eight cyclists up a mountain road in Tuscany at night. How the roof wasn't ripped off I'll never know.

Don't consider any other make, you'll be wasting your money.

 

Anthony.

'Cos my mates are sitting there!
(In my case the snowboards wouldn't fit anyway)

Stef.

 

If your towing a caravan I hope you try to stick to the rules I'm badgering my local MP about. (see thread I'm having a bad day)
If that fails I hope you pull over at very regular intervals to let the long line of traffic in your rear view mirror past.
Oh yeah, and never ever travel on country lanes. The last thing a real motorist wants to see as he rounds a bend is the word SWIFT looming large in the windscreen.
There, that should hopefully get a response of sorts.

 

Nigel, go and live in Italy, I think they ban caravans travelling in normal hours - and just right they are too. I'd say let them have the freedom for the road from 2.00-3.00 am, and 2.00-2.10 am at weekends and bank holidays.

 

Further to my earlier comments on the subject, the prices I quoted included locks for the bars also.

It is possible to fit three snowboards through the 1/3 rear folded seat, and get all the gear in the boot, with three people in the car, but four is just a non-starter.

Whatever you do, don't waste money on Thule's specific snowboard carrier - it's £100 and only holds 2 boards, so you are much better off buying the ski one that takes four boards for much less money.

As for wasting money on buying a specific roof-rack that will be of no use whatsoever when the scoob is sold and not to be replaced....
the last time I looked, there was an 'items for sale' section on the BBS.
Anyone want to buy a roof-rack....?!


JHall

 

There’s always one! Isn’t there! I refer to Abetts comments about people with roof racks and caravans. Perhaps we should start an SIDC caravan section. - I’ll tell you why.
I belong to a motor club where many of us go to different motorsport events, including car and bike races and rallies, at which we marshal. Various members of the group have all raced cars and /or motorbikes, go-karts, rally cars etc and all are true motorsport enthusiasts
Sometimes there will be a convoy driving quickly but safely to or from such events and through the stages to our locations. Sometimes we will be out for several days, especially on BRC or WRC events so we take our homes with us. Sometimes some take tents but others take caravans, especially in winter. They still travel quickly but safely. So if you see one or even two Turbo Legacies and an Impreza towing caravans when or if you come out to spectate on such an event please do not have apoplexy.
(PS the Impreza Turbo is not as good a tow car as an Impreza GL or Sport. It lacks the guts and overheats unless it is towing less than a ton! One member uses her Impreza Turbo to pull their speedboat but they come in her husbands Impreza Sport if she needs a caravan at the event we’re attending)
So my friend, if one day you see a caravan you cannot live with it is probably mine being pulled by a Legacy GTB, but don’t worry I wouldn’t take the p**s out of you!
I might even ease off and wave you past!
Incidentally I agree with the comments re THULE roof bars, they are THE BEST, I have used them on various cars including Legacies and Imprezas with and without roof boxes, with climbing gear and skis. When you change cars you just buy the appropriate feet or roof rail fittings for the new car and use them with the same bars.
Halfords prices are usually very keen.

 

Dear WebMaster.

Is it possible to provide a tongue-in-cheek type smiley face.

My previous posting on this thread was supposed to be that, but some people clearly think I was being serious.

Cheers.

Mike.

 

Go with the Thule - I've abused a set of them for the last 5 years (and 3 cars) - and they are still going strong.

One tip though, if you're carrying a pile of windsurfing gear - as I tend to - put the board upside down - it improves the downforce round corners

 

Doh!